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Following the July 4th fireworks and active wildfires in nearby mountainous regions, local air quality alerts have been issued for most of Southern California as harmful levels of particulate contamination spread throughout the region.
The South Coast Air Quality Control District (South Coast AQMD) issued an alert on Friday, July 4th, warning that pollution levels will continue to rise until Saturday night, July 5th due to smoke from parts of Los Angeles County and subsequent Independence Day celebrations and wildfires.
The alerts were applied to most of Los Angeles and Orange counties, the Inland Empire, Santa Clarita, San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains. Officials said pollution levels could vary from time to place depending on emissions and local weather conditions.
Smoke from the fireworks was expected to affect the area from 5pm to 11:59pm on Saturday. Mountain wildfire smoke was predicted to affect air quality from midnight on Friday until 10pm on Saturday.
Health officials warned that particulate contamination could invade deep in the lungs, leading to serious health issues such as asthma attacks, bronchitis, heart attacks and difficulty breathing. Anyone can be affected, but sensitive groups have a higher risk.
Residents were urged to monitor the Air Quality Index (AQI) and adjust their activities accordingly.
Once AQI reaches a level of “unhealthy for sensitive groups” (orange), vulnerable individuals must limit long-term or intense outdoor activities.
At the “unhealthy” (red) level, everyone can experience health benefits, and sensitive groups should avoid long hours outdoors.
If the level is “very unhealthy” (purple), sensitive groups should avoid all outdoor activities, while other groups should limit outdoor exposure.
At the “dangerous” (maroon) level, it is recommended that all individuals stay indoors and avoid physical activity completely outdoors.
To reduce indoor exposure, authorities recommended that windows and doors be kept closed, use air conditioners and air purifiers, and avoid using fireplaces, candles, incense and gas-powered equipment. If possible, residents should avoid using swamp coolers and whole fans throughout the house.
Residents of the Los Angeles Basin, San Bernardino Valley, San Gabriel, San Bernardino Mountain, Orange and Riverside Counties can view real-time air quality levels and forecasts by visiting the South Coast AQMD website at www.aqmd.gov or by downloading the mobile app at www.aqmd.gov/mobileapp.
For the people of Antelope Valley, the updates are available at www.avaqmd.ca.gov. In the Mohab Desert, current conditions and advisories are available at www.mdaqmd.ca.gov.
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